The International Monetary Fund and World Bank do not think the rise in food prices will bring a global financial crisis. (Reuters)

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is the largest company by market cap in history. (Reuters)

Samsung will put $4 billion into a mobile chip plant in the United States. (Reuters)

The heads of Apple and Samsung discuss settlement of a patent suit without results. (Reuters)

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A) chief Warren Buffett terminates $8.25 billion in credit default swaps on municipal debt, a sign he may be concerned about municipal finances. (WSJ)

The first investor in Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB), Peter Thiel, sells most of his holdings. He remains on the board of the social network. (WSJ)

Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE: BKS) earnings will allow investors to see how its Nook e-reader product has fared. (WSJ)

Sharp may sell two of its TV factories to cut debt. (WSJ)

Germany and the European Central Bank each reject rumors that the central bank will cap lending to the financially most troubled nations in the region. (WSJ)

Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (NYSE: RDS-A) trade some assets in Australia. (WSJ)

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) extends its Christmas layaway program by a month. (WSJ)

News Corp.’s (NASDAQ: NWS) Twentieth Century Fox will distribute DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.’s (NASDAQ: DWA) films. (WSJ)

Many Wall St. investors react badly to the appointment of a CEO from outside the industry at Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY). (NYT)

Glencore refuses to raise its offer for Xtrata. (FT)

The head of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) raises objections to the idea that large banks should be broken up. (FT)

George Soros buys 8% of Manchester United Ltd. (NYSE: MANU) shares. (FT)

Douglas A. McIntyre

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